


Unexpected Companion

by xxDustNight88



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Birthday Cake, Coming Out, Community: hp_drizzle, HP Drizzle Fest 2020, Kissing in the Rain, Knockturn Alley, M/M, One Shot, Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25924549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDustNight88/pseuds/xxDustNight88
Summary: While picking up a birthday cake for Hermione in Knockturn Alley, an unexpected rainstorm causes Harry to take shelter where he finds himself bumping into someone he hasn't seen in quite a while.
Relationships: Theodore Nott/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 118
Collections: HP Drizzle Fest 2020





	Unexpected Companion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Goddess47](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goddess47/gifts).



> **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. **Notes:** Thank you to my beta/alpha! You rock!

It wasn't often that Harry ventured into Knockturn Alley, even now that the war had ended. In fact, it was nearly ten years since that final battle. Tonight they would be celebrating Hermione's birthday, and she had requested a cake from the new bakery in Knockturn Alley. Once a dark and avoided place to find oneself, Knockturn alley was practically as bustling and cheerful as Diagon Alley. Harry found himself enjoying the walk along to cobblestone road as he made his way to the bakery at the end.

After procuring Hermione's cake of choice, Harry began his way back toward Diagon Alley to use the floo at the Leaky Cauldron. He was nearly to the small alleyway that separated Knockturn from Diagon when a sudden wind whipped up around him. Then, a sprinkling of rain began to fall from the sky. Glancing up, Harry blinked as a few raindrops splashed on his glasses and cheeks.

With a heavy sigh, he determined that the rain wasn't nearly hard enough to justify apparating and risking ruining the cake. Instead, he quickened his pace and tried to hurry along before the simple box the cake was enclosed inside could get ruined. Unfortunately, the clouds had other plans in mind.

The simple drizzle turned near torrential in the next few seconds, forcing Harry to hunch over to protect the cake as he ran. Determined he couldn't keep this up all the way to the Leaky Cauldron without the cake turning to mush, Harry frantically searched for an open storefront to take cover. Thankfully, he spotted a place to seek shelter from the sudden rain.

A sigh of relief escaped Harry as he stepped under the awning at Borgin and Burkes. With one hand, he pushed back his soaked hair while holding the cake aloft. "Hermione would have murdered me if I ruined this cake," he murmured to himself as he inspected the only slightly damp box. Harry was peering up at the dark and cloudy sky, watching the rain pour down when the door opened behind him. He nearly dropped the cake as someone bumped into him.

"Oof!" the wizard said, reaching out to steady Harry and his cake. "Sorry, mate. I didn't see you there."

Harry held tight to the box as he turned around to see who nearly caused him to ruin the cake again. He blinked in surprise at the dark hair and sapphire eyes. "Nott?" he asked, stepping aside to make room for his former schoolmate.

A slow smirk spread across the former Slytherin's face. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Harry Potter. How are you?"

"I've been doing okay," Harry said, still a bit breathless from running through the rain. "What brings you here?"

"Borgin and Burkes?" Theo said, glancing back through the door. He shrugged. "I was trying to get rid of a few of my father's old belongings. I donate them from time to time when I can't stand to look at them anymore."

Frowning, Harry recalled Theo's father being heavily involved with the Dark Arts and Voldemort when he was still alive. Nott Senior had passed away in Azkaban a few years prior; Theo was obviously still coping with the loss. Harry hadn't seen Theo since the trials following the end of the war.

As if sensing Harry was unsure what to say next, Theo continued the conversation with ease. "I take it you were here for that new bakery down street? I love their double chocolate muffins."

"It's Hermione's birthday this weekend, so we're celebrating tonight," Harry explained, still amazed at seeing Theo. "She requested their red velvet cake."

"I like that too," Theo agreed, nodding. Sadness clouded his face then, and he frowned. "I wish things had been different back at Hogwarts. I always envied your friendship with Granger and Weasley."

"You were close with Zabini and Malfoy, right?" Harry asked, confusion evident on his face.

Theo sighed and stared out at the rain. "We were, but we never had the friendship you had with your friends. I was more of a loner anyway." Turning back toward Harry, he shrugged one shoulder. "Granger was nice to talk to in Alchemy and Ancient Runes. We got paired together a lot."

"She was always better at accepting others than Ron and I used to be," Harry admitted a bit sheepishly. "It's probably why she went on to marry Adrian Pucey."

"I was surprised at that myself," Theo said with a laugh. "I always thought you and her would end up together. That is, if she didn't end up with Ron."

Harry's eyes went wide. "You don't know?" he asked, wondering if Theo really had no clue.

"Know what?" Theo replied, tilting his head in inquiry.

"I dated Ginny for a while, but after the war we went our separate ways," Harry began to say, wondering how best to explain the next bit. In the end, he decided to just come out with it. "Then I dated Neville secretly. We broke it off, but I haven't been with anyone since."

"I didn't know you were into blokes too," Theo said with a smirk. "Actually, I dabble a little with witches and wizards, but Zabini and I were quite the couple back at Hogwarts."

"No way…" Harry mused, wondering how he had missed that. He really had been quite preoccupied with defeating the Dark Lord it would seem. "I suppose that is good to know, Nott. I had no clue."

"They say you learn something new every day," Theo said, simply shaking his head and chuckling. "Today has been eye-opening."

"I can say the same thing," Harry retorted, rolling his eyes playfully. He then pointed to the sky. "And look, the rain seems to be letting up now."

"That's good," Theo said, pushing his hands into the pockets of his robes. "Granger might take your head off if she doesn't get her cake."

As the rain continued to dissipate, Harry and Theo stood side by side and stared at the grey clouds. They both appeared to be lost in thought at the revelation Harry had thrown Theo's way and vice versa. Finally, Harry sighed and turned to the wizard. "Look, I can't stay much longer, but I'd love to keep talking. Would you want to stop by Hermione's party tonight?"

"Your friends wouldn't mind?" Theo said, looking unsure about the entire invitation.

"Not at all," Harry immediately replied, shaking his head. "We've expanded our friend circle a lot since we left Hogwarts. Hell, even Ron has been playing Quidditch with Marcus Flint and Oliver Wood on weekends when he gets invited."

Theo's demeanor changed entirely then, and he smiled and placed a hand on Harry's forearm. "I'd really love to come tonight. It's been a while since I've been invited to a party with people our age."

As the sun started to peek back through the clouds, Harry's green eyes met sapphire, and he forgot what he was doing and where he was at. Without thinking, he leaned forward and placed a kiss to Theo's cheek. Blushing, he straightened back up, and awkwardly ran his free hand through his still damp hair.

"Sorry, that was really forward of me… I don't know what I was thinking," Harry gushed, turning his face away in embarrassment.

Theo didn't give him a chance to further apologize. He quickly grabbed Harry's wrist and tugged him back his way before capturing Harry's lips in a crushing kiss. It stunned both wizards, leaving them breathless when it finally ended.

"I'll see you tonight," Theo murmured, as he stepped out from under the awning and disappeared down the street. He did glance back and grin when Harry was unable to do more than wave once.

Harry stood there for a moment or two longer, his hand still awkwardly in the air. Swallowing back his stunned silence, he lowered his hand and again held the cake box with two hands. This trip into Knockturn Alley definitely turned into something more than he'd expected.

Stepping away from Borgin and Burkes, Harry began walking to the Leaky Cauldron, already trying to think of ways to explain why Theo Nott was coming to the party that night. More so, he was curious as to why he and Theo appeared to have such a strong connection. Whatever the case, Harry was glad Hermione had sent him to Knockturn Alley for her birthday cake. He was even more thankful that the rain had brought him and Theo together under that awning.


End file.
